Marin County Biographies
HENRY I. KOWALSKY
Transcribed by Betty Wilson, September, 2004.
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
The subject of this sketch was born in Buffalo,
New York, on August 16, 1859, and is the fourth living son of Levi and Fannie
Kowalsky. Henry resided in his native city till 1866, when his parents moved to
California, coming via Panama, and took up their residence in the city of San
Francisco. Mr. Kowalsky�s father had come to this State in 1859, and from 1863
resided in Bodega, Sonoma county, returning to Buffalo from that place in 1866,
for the purpose of bringing his family to this coast. Henry was sent to the
Lincoln Grammar School in San Francisco, passed through all the grades, and
completed his education in that institution in 1874. His first attempt at
business was to secure a paper delivery route, but only conducted it a few days
when he sold out to other parties. This was during the time he was attending
school. After being associated with one or two papers in the city, Mr.
Kowalsky, in company with Frank Wadleigh, established Our Boys Monthly Magazine
in October, 1873, but in February following the name of the paper was changed to
Field and Fireside, and edited by the subject of this sketch. We cannot better
give the reader an idea of the enterprise than by copying a press notice from
the Daily Examiner. �We have received from the publishers the first number of
Our Boys and Girls, a California Juvenile Monthly Magazine, devoted to the
interests of the youth of the Pacific coast. A review of the contents of the
number impresses us with the ability and judgment of its conductor. All the
matter appears to be original, and none of it is amendable to harsh criticism,
considering the productions are those of young persons beginning a literary
career. While we do not commend the new class of literature known as amateur
journalism, we are constrained to say this juvenile magazine is deserving of
encouragement. Its editor, Henry Kowalsky, is a bright youth, with an evident
aptitude for the vocation which he has adopted at a rather early period of his
life.� The publication of the magazine was discontinued, and its editor moved
to Tomales, Marin county, in March, 1874. Here he entered the store of his
brother, Edward H. Kowalsky, who had located there in 1872. Henry continued in
the capacity of clerk till 1877; then went to Marshall, and in company with Mr.
Ephraim, bought the store owned by Ford & Kowalsky. In 1878 he disposed of his
interest in this store to his brother, E.H. Kowalsky, and moved to Tomales, and
joined partnership with the same brother in a store at that place, where he now
resides. He is also a member of the �United States Election Map Co.,� Henry C.
Donnell, Henry I. Kowalsky and Charles S. Israel being the firm. We are pleased
to record the life of a young man now scarcely twenty-one years old, which is
fraught with deeds that go to make up a man of usefulness, and is only another
illustration of what pluck, energy and push can do.
�History of Marin County, California�, Alley, Brown & Co., Publishers, San
Francisco, 1880